So I already have Win 7 as my main install, but I'd like to add XP back as some of my old games don't work in Win 7 no matter what. Would it be possible to install XP by unplugging my Win7, plug in a different HDD and install XP then plug my win 7 back in. Will that work at all?
Yes, in fact that's the best arrangement with separate HD's.
Set the preferred HD to boot first in BIOS setup, then boot the other one using BIOS Boot menu key given on first boot screen: ESC, DEL or F8 on Asus'.
This keeps the HD's independent to come and go as you please, instead of locked together as with a Window-managed Dual Boot.
So I've successfully installed XP again however I'd like to have my PC boot directly to the boot menu. Is there a way to do that?
Set the preferred HD (likely Win7) as first to boot (after DVD drive) in BIOS setup.
Then boot the other HD using one-time BIOS Boot menu key which google says is the F11 key on your mobo.
If this is too clumsy, then boot into Win7, install EasyBCD 2.0, add XP on Add OS menu.
Thanks. So what you described will solve that?
Last edited by metalmania31; 25 Dec 2010 at 20:35.
Solve what? Please be specific.
Sorry solve the whole booting to boot menu. F11 didn't seem to work. However I fixed the boot issue in bios when it wouldn't boot to any OS. So now it boots directly to my Win 7 drive. I have to hit F8 however if I want to choose to boot to Win XP. Which is not a big deal. One of these days I'll download Easy BCD and make it cleaner to boot to. Thanks for the help.
Booting via BIOS is actually cleaner than creating a Windows-managed Dual Boot with EasyBCD 2.0. It keeps the HD's free to come and go as you please, whereas Windows Dual boot interlocks them and makes them harder to remove.
If you'll post back a screenshot of your full Disk Mgmt drive map, using Snipping Tool in Start Menu, we can spot any potential problems to make sure each HD remains fully independent to boot on its own.
I'm at work now but I'll give a screenshot later tonight. But it looks like there shouldn't be an issue. I had both my Main Win 7 drive and storage drives unplugged when I installed xp. I am sure you're right about just booting into XP using the bios boot menu with F8. All drives are seen as independent and I can access them. One mistake I made was I inadvertently erased my thumb drive thinking the space was a partition that was part of my old drive that I slapped in to install XP. I later realized what the 4G I erased was when I tried to access it and it told me I need to format it. Oops. I should have backed it up though since I had my updated resume on it. But I think I can retrieve it from my email attachments.
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